Top-7 Family Trips You Can Take in Uttar Pradesh
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Uttar Pradesh or UP is India’s largest state by population and one of the top five states in terms of area. Its capital city, Lucknow, is home to several historical monuments and museums. The state has a rich and colourful history that dates back thousands of years. Known for its rich cultural heritage, UP offers many tourist attractions, from historical monuments to natural beauty.
The state is also home to the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and the best-known of all the world’s ancient Uttar Pradesh tourist sites. It is an ideal destination for food lovers and home to the world-famous and simply delectable Mughlai cuisine.
There are many tourist spots in Uttar Pradesh to visit during your family vacation. This place offers everything, from calm and peaceful pilgrimage spots to ancient architecture marvels. Here are the seven best family tourist attractions to visit in UP.
7 Best Family Tourist Attractions to Visit in UP
1. Agra
There is no better way to begin your UP tour than with Agra. A creative ground for art enthusiasts like Akbar and Shah Jahan, it is one such tourist destination that boosts Uttar Pradesh tourism significantly. The two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikiri, are indeed a sneak peek at the Mughals’ rich architectural history and legacy, and are among the best places to visit in Agra.
Along with Delhi and Jaipur, Agra is a part of the popular Golden Triangle Circuit for tourists. It is famous for its marble artefacts and Petha (an Indian sweet). Today’s Agra has retained several charms, allowing tourists to enjoy the best of the city’s tourist attractions, with lovely memories to take home. One can bask in the glory of luxury hotels and shop for the exclusive collections. Tourists can also enjoy arts, entertainment, and leisure along with ancient traditions.
2. Lucknow
As the vibrant capital of UP, Lucknow is a fascinating blend of ancient and modern culture. The city is known for its Awadhi era elegance and its culture of ‘tehzeeb’. It boasts magnificent monuments that showcase a combination of antique, colonial, and oriental architectural styles.
Lucknow is well-known for its finger-licking-good Awadhi cuisine, the aroma of which fills the air and satisfies the soul of every food lover. Lucknow city tourist places include the magnificent monuments of Lucknow are Imambara, Residency, Rumi Darwaza, Dilkusha, and Kaiserbagh Heritage Zone. Chikankari embroidery and zardosi have made this city a global fashion hub, and kebabs and biryani are two delicacies that draw nearby tourists time and again.
A testament to the Awadh pride, Lucknow is a splendid example of the rustic beauty of this region with its magnificent Vidhan Sabha, museums, churches, educational institutions, Gandhi Museum, clock tower, and an idyllic railway station.
3. Varanasi
The holy city of Hinduism, Varanasi, is also known as Kashi or Benares. It is considered the centre of the Hindu faith and one of its seven most sacred cities. It is well known for its dazzling ghats and meandering pathways lined with temples of all shapes and sizes. Surrounded by the river Ganges and mountains, Varanasi is a must-see tourist destination for spiritual seekers and religious tourists.
Varanasi is known for its temples and ghats, but it also draws adventure and water sports enthusiasts. Tourists can enjoy speed boats, para motors, desert bikes, jet skis, parasailing, and many other activities at the banks of the sacred Ganga river. The five-day Ganga Mahotsava celebration depicts Varanasi’s cultural legacy, with rites and customs, traditional music, and dance performances. Every year, 15 days after Deepawali, Dev Deepawali is celebrated on the Ganges in Varanasi. Floating lanterns light up the river amid bright lights, chanting, and prayers. It’s truly a divine experience.
4. Shravasti
Shravasti was the capital of the Kosala kingdom and was significant for its religious ties and its thriving commerce centre. It was located at the crossroads of three major highways that connected it to India’s major east, north, and west cities. The Miracle Stupa is one of the most popular tourist spots, where Lord Buddha spent his time after enlightenment. Shravasti became a major Buddhist study centre due to its sermons and teachings.
Jetavan Monastery, one of India’s most prominent Buddhist monasteries, attracts millions of tourists every year. It is the location where Lord Buddha spent most of his time. It is one of Shravasti’s most important spiritual destinations. During the sacred Savan month, millions of Hindu worshippers gather at the Lord Shiva temple in Shravasti, seeking blessings.
5. Dudhwa National Park
The Terai-Bhabar area, which borders Nepal, is home to the Dudhwa National Park, 230 kilometres from Lucknow. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is one of the last surviving remnants of the Terai ecosystem, which is incredibly diverse and fertile. The reserve’s northern border runs along the Indo-Nepal border, while the river Suheli forms the reserve’s southern edge. It is a well-known swamp deer sanctuary and is home to tigers, deers, hyenas, leopards, elephants, antelopes, jackals, and rhinos, among other animals. It is a birdwatcher’s paradise.
Dudhwa Reserve is home to around 400 species of the over 1000 birds present in the Indian subcontinent. These include hornbills, woodpeckers, red jungle fowls, peafowls, fishing eagles, Bengal floricans, paradise flycatchers, emerald doves, and others. The reserve’s extensive and diverse water bodies attract various migrating birds during the winter, making it a popular bird-watching tourist destination.
6. Bundelkhand
A journey to Bundelkhand is a beautiful experience with rugged castles and forts and a heroic and fearless past. Jhansi is the entry point to the famous Bundelkhand region, well-known for its bravery and courage. It was a bastion of the Chandela monarchs, which fell apart in the 12th century.
Jhansi is a small town guarded by the majestic Jhansi Fort. Every year in February-March, the Jhansi Festival provides a wonderful opportunity for sightseeing tourists to appreciate the region’s arts, crafts, and culture. Moreover, the Jhansi Festival provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the region’s arts, crafts, and culture. Deogarh features over 2000 sculptures at one spot, which is likely the unique collection of its sort in the world. The amazing rock-cut caverns at Siddha-ki-Gufa date back to the sixth century. It’s a wonderful experience to go down the steep steps at Naharghati, at the Deogarh fort’s east end, to the Betwa river.
7. Kushinagar
Kushinagar, about 53 kilometres from Gorakhpur, is one of the major Buddhist pilgrimage places and the tourist attraction where Lord Buddha departed his physical body and gained Mahaparinirvana. Every year, it attracts numerous pilgrims. The Mahaparinirvana temple includes a magnificent reclining Buddha statue discovered in 1876. Presently, the town is home to various stupas and temples that witness Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana. The Nirvana site, the major Stupa and surrounding monasteries, Mathakuar Kot, and Ramabhar Stupa are the three sets of monuments here.
The town also appears in the Ramayana. It was once known as Kushavati, the city of Lord Ram’s son Kusha. The town’s other notable tourist spots are the Wat Thai temple and the Ramabhar Stupa. Several temples, stupas, and monasteries of Buddhist architectural form can be found here. During excavations in 1861-1876, several stupas and temples were unearthed in Kushinagar. The excavation and history gained immense attention from tourists worldwide.
How to Reach?
Uttar Pradesh has a vast network of roads and railways and is well connected to different cities and states. You can travel by road or book a train and enjoy the scenic beauty during your journey. You may also choose to travel by air as this state has several airports. Depending on the city/town you plan to visit, you can locate the nearest airport and book your tickets. Cleartrip offers good discounts on flight and hotel bookings.
Final Thoughts
The article lists seven major tourist spots in UP. Apart from these, there are several other destinations in UP that ensure a unique and enriching travel experience.
If you want to revel in the beauty and experience the grandeur of Uttar Pradesh, do plan a trip to this place. You can visit Cleartrip for best offers and discounts. Whether you want to find out the best hotel deals and recommendations or enjoy the cheapest airfare to various destinations, Cleartrip has got all covered. What are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get ready for the best family trip with your loved ones.
FAQs on Family Tour Destinations to Uttar Pradesh
Top tourist places to visit in Uttar Pradesh are:
– Mathura
– Agra
– Varanasi
– Lucknow
– Shravasti
– Kushinagar
It is home to the beautiful Taj Mahal, the holy Varanasi and Mathura cities, and many more scenic locations. One of India’s eight classical dance forms, Kathak, originated in Uttar Pradesh. UP is rich in cultural heritage and lip-smacking cuisine.
The Vindhya Range in southern Uttar Pradesh comprises a jumble of mountain ridges, peaks, elevations, and hill ranges with ill-defined boundaries.
Varanasi is known for its Malaiyo, a milk cream dessert. Uttar Pradesh’s samosa is a favourite food. Lucknow is known for its Mughlai delicacies. Lucknow’s most well-known delicacies are Kormas, kaliyas, nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, roomali rotis, and warqi parathas.. At Sarnath, near Varanasi, paan (betel leaves) is served with silver foil. Balushahi is a popular Uttar Pradesh dessert that consists of deep-fried deliciousness.
It has holy tourist destinations like Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi. Uttar Pradesh attracts a large number of national and international visitors. Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is also home to the Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Uttar Pradesh is home to the famous handicrafts including carpet weaving, chikankari work, metal enamelling, ebony, and brass work. Uttar Pradesh has a long and intriguing history.
